The Industrial and Business Party made a snap election in several counties last autumn, and has been above the threshold in several polls recently. The party has distinguished itself in the electricity price debate, and will withdraw Norway from the EEA agreement. But now, at worst, bitter personal disputes can cause the INP to crack. Internally in the party, the arguments are about money, leadership style and statutes. In Politisk kvarter on Friday, Joar Nesse (INP) and the commentators Sondre Hansmark and Tone Sofie Aglen meet. On Friday, the party will have a fateful national board meeting. The National Board is the party’s highest authority between national meetings. Several central party sources tell news that they are awaiting the outcome of the meeting on Friday evening before deciding what to do next. In recent days, there has been hectic meeting activity internally in INP ahead of the national board meeting. The party’s county leaders had a digital meeting on Wednesday, and the central board met on Thursday, according to news. Arguments about executive pay One of the topics that causes controversy is what the party should use the modest party fund for. According to several sources, party leader Owe Waltherzøe has expressed a desire to be “released” from work in order to be able to work full-time until the parliamentary election campaign in 2025. But several central county teams would rather use the party funds on other election campaign measures. The budget was last dealt with at a county board meeting on 2 December last year: There it was decided that one third of the funds should be distributed to each of the party levels at local level, to the county parties and the central party office. But Waltherzøe is said to have refused to deal with this, according to several sources. He is said to have demanded that all funds go to the party office. This is not true, says Waltherzøe to news. He strongly disagrees with the presentation. According to news’s sources, the party leader must have wanted to use the funds for salaries for himself, in addition to hiring other central support functions in the administration. – He wants to have transferred the funds that the counties have received to the central organization so that he can pursue politics full-time. The legs are tense during the work locally, says a source. – We cannot dispose of the few funds we have to buy off a party leader, says another source. In total, approximately NOK 2 million will be set aside in a separate election campaign fund. In addition, according to what news is informed, the party has about NOK 2 million in other funds. The money comes from membership fees and the state voting subsidy. The sources also refer to Waltherzøe’s controversial, and according to them, authoritarian leadership style. DID A BROAD ELECTION: INP got 3% of the vote in last year’s municipal election. Here is party leader Owe Waltherzøe on election vigil in Oslo. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Waltherzøe does not want to be interviewed by news, but replies by SMS that he does not agree with the portrayal. – No, that’s not right. I have had my opinion, but have not insisted on anything. I relate to the adopted budget, writes Waltherzøe. The INP leader acknowledges that there is a discussion about where in the party to spend the money. – I have a lot of understanding for those who think we should join a joint administrative support function in the party. I am not sure if we can buy off the party leader, at least not 100 per cent, he writes. The party’s first deputy leader Joar Nesse confirms that a free purchase of Waltherzøe is being discussed, but says nothing has been finally decided. Nesse says a buyout also triggers questions about pensions and employer’s tax that have not been clarified. INP’s first deputy chairman Joar Nesse (tv) during an election vigil at Gruo Pub last autumn. Photo: Eli Bjelland / news – There is nothing on the table in connection with Waltherzøe. There has been a discussion. – Has it been laid to rest? – It is still in the discussion room. But nothing more than that, says Nesse. Ruling out taking another break In December, the same INP deputy leader Joar Nesse announced that Waltherzøe would take a break from his position as party leader until March this year. – The time to charge is now, Waltherzøe wrote on the party’s own Facebook page in December. March is also the time when new statutes for the party are up for consideration. A separate bylaws committee is now working on new bylaws, but there is a dispute about how much power the management and the central board should have to, for example, exclude members and local teams. ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN BODØ: Owe Ingemann Waltherzøe (front), Johnny Ronersen and Aleksander Rosvold in the Industry and Business Party in Bodø before the Storting election in 2021 Photo: Petter Strøm / news Nesse is open to the fact that the discussion about a break for Waltherzøe will come up again. – It might be fine for him to announce it, but I can’t say what he wants in the end himself. I have to step in if he takes a break, says Nesse to news. – So it might be a good time for Waltherzøe to take a timeout? – Yes, but he has to decide that himself. But it’s always good to have a holiday, when you’ve put in as much as you’ve done. But it’s up to him, says Nesse. Waltherzøe, on the other hand, replies that any break until March is completely out of the question: – I have never announced a break. That’s what others have done. In my mind, one does not take a break from the role of party leader, writes Waltherzøe in an SMS. INP leader Owe Waltherzøe has a background as a shop steward in Equinor. Photo: RONALD HOLE FOSSÅSKARET / news Unclear who is general secretary On the party’s website, Ole Martin Martinsen is still listed as the party’s general secretary. But whether he actually is, Waltherzøe and his deputy now have different opinions. Martinsen has not been summoned to the national board meeting on Friday, and will not comment on the matter. – He resigned for an open stage in front of a county board meeting on Christmas Day. The central board has adopted a vote of no confidence in the general secretary on the basis of unacceptable behavior and will assess the consequences at a central board meeting in the near future. It probably won’t happen today, but will happen in the near future, writes Waltherzøe about Martinsen’s role. – He walked out of a meeting, but he has not been dismissed. So it must be looked at, says Deputy Chairman Joar Nesse. – He is there, so to speak. He has not resigned or been dismissed. – Is it then unclear whether he is general secretary? – No, by definition he is. – Waltherzøe says he isn’t? – Yes, but he has not been formally dismissed. Nesse says he hopes Friday’s meeting will lead to the party coming out together. – We have frustration. We have been growing very fast in the past year, and have passed 7,000 members in just one year. We must have some growing pains. – Is this the worst crisis you have faced? – It is not a good crisis, it is not. And there will always be some disagreements, there are in all parties. The important thing is that we should discuss and have democratic processes in a good way.
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INP quarrels about money and leadership style before fateful meeting on Friday – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
